Themed Drabbles
by MagikarpMagic
Summary: After thousands of years of waiting for the prat, Merlin has finally found Arthur once again. Short and long drabbles/serious ficlets between Arthur and Merlin as they live their lives in the modern age. Characters and Pairings will be added as stories progresses.
1. Daybreak

The young warlock was there again. As the day broke, the light glittered beautifully against the surface of the lake. Merlin knew it was silly, but before work every morning, he would always visit for just a bit. He knew it was stupid to keep hoping after thousands of years, but he couldn't help it. If his sire awoke again, Merlin wanted his sire to see him firsthand, before feeling too anachronistic.

He stood up and glanced around again, making sure there were no kings walking around the perimeter. Sighing, he turned around and began heading back to the road, cursing his ill luck. Then, a voice behind him filled with amusement said: "I see you're still a filthy mouthed servant, _Mer_lin. You always did spend too much time in those damned taverns."

Merlin's heart skipped. Then another when he turned around. Then again when he felt himself pass out from joy and confusion and surprise and an extremely overwhelming sense of _hope_. The voice quickly reached out to catch the lanky man with laughter and tears. They lay on the edge of the lake for a while before the voice spoke again.

"As much as I hate to admit this, Merlin...I've missed you and those stupidly large ears." Merlin scoffed, offering a sarcastic smile before punching Arthur halfheartedly in the arm. All he cared about was that the once and future king was back and well and _alive_.

"Missed you too, you stupid prat." Merlin responded cheekily before leaning against the blonde's shoulder. "Welcome back, Arthur, the stupidest king to have ever risen again."


	2. Nightmare

In the past few days, Merlin had noticed a sudden energy depletion in Arthur. When Arthur had first woken up, he was bursting with energy to spend. However, after only a days in the modern world, he seemed like a completely different person. Merlin, of course, hadn't confronted his king about this observation. He expected Arthur to just dismiss him like usual, and thus, decided to go under a pretense that nothing was wrong.

However, after two weeks, Merlin decided that this pretension had to be put to an end. "Arthur." He nudged the blonde awake, who had been passed out on the couch. "Arthur, wake up." The blond grunted before lifting his head.

"What the bloody hell do you want?" Arthur grumbled groggily, voice thick with sleep deprivation. "'m sleeping here you arse." Merlin smiled a little, unconsciously reaching out to stroke through the messy blonde locks.

"Why've you been so tired lately, you clotpoll?" Merlin inquired, "I swear if you've been staying up watching porn…" Merlin blurted out sternly, regretting his decision to ever show that stuff to Arthur.

"What!?" Arthur cried incredulously, "As if. That stuff is awful—there's no realism in the videos at all and all the girls have unrealistically large jugs. None of them can compare with Gwen's breasts." Merlin's heart tightened when the other mentioned Gwen.

"Yes." Merlin mumbled, accidentally consenting with a little too much remorse and a tad bit of hate in his tone. "Anyways, back to the subject. Why have you been staying up so late, you buffoon?" By now, Arthur's head was already on Merlin's lap as Merlin's long fingers treaded through Arthur's blonde messy locks. "Tell me, sire. Perhaps I can help." Arthur scoffed.

"Merlin, really, when have _you_ ever been helpful?" Merlin rolled his eyes.

"At least I don't have the maturity of a ten year old. Anyways, seriously, what's up?" Merlin asked again, desperate to know what was causing trouble for his king.

"Eh. Nothing really, to be honest. I think it's just the recent nightmares I've been having. I've been reliving my death." Arthur said casually, though judging by how he tenses, Merlin could tell that it was far worse than Arthur tried to put up. Merlin sighed, wishing he could protect Arthur even in his unconscious reality. Arthur looked up, noticing the look of dread, guilt and wistfulness on Merlin's face. "Oh don't be an idiot, Merlin. I'm fine; I've never been better." Arthur grinned. Merlin smiled back, trying to shake his thoughts away. Feeling bad, he's realized, never helped anyone and especially not him, seeing as his magic had recently taken his mood as a criterion on how powerful and useful it would come out as.

"Well, how about I sleep with you tonight? Just to make sure you get a full night's sleep for once?" Arthur nearly cried at that suggestion. Apparently, he had been contemplating on asking Merlin for a while now, but continuously shied away from the idea.

After settling who would be sleeping on which end, the two ended up just sleeping side by side. "Fair warning, Merlin, I do kick and punch in my sleep." Merlin rolled his eyes.

"I know that, you prat; I've slept next to you before." Merlin chuckled a little before snuggling into the blanket. An awkward arm circled around Merlin's mid-section to nudge him close. Arthur let out a cough before turning around, cheeks aflame.

"Thought that if we slept closer, I might lose my nightmares." He mumbled, justifying his reasoning on being so close to Merlin. Merlin shrugged, not minding the intimacy to the heat next to him. Arthur sighed, pressing his nose eagerly in Merlin's thick brown locks. "Well, good night." Arthur mumbled in blissful sleepiness.

"Good night, sire." Merlin replied, drifting to sleep a few minutes after he felt the other's chest move at an even pace.

The next morning, Arthur blinked a few times before realizing he had managed to sleep through the night without suddenly waking and feeling like complete shat. "Merlin, it worked." He nudged, poked and pinched the boy awake.

"What worked?" Merlin said groggily before lifting himself up on his elbows. "Did you sleep through the night?" Arthur nodded before cheering.

"Gods, I haven't had such a great sleep in ages. Not even Gwen could ca—"He stopped on his tracks, "Erm. Well, anyways." He coughed, clearing his throat, "I don't remember you being a damned heater though. I felt like I was burning up most of the night." He rubbed a sweaty strand of hair away. Merlin looked agape.

"Me!? You're the one with the bulky muscles. I felt like I was being suffocated under ten comforters or something. And I'm to be blamed for this sort of thing—For Gods' sake, I'm all bone and skin! I hardly get enough heat as is." Merlin huffed indignantly.

"Alright, alright, calm down, princess." Arthur hushed, "Well, whatever the heat transfer between us was, my nightmares subsided and thus I do not require your services anymore."

"Well, rest assured sire, my services won't be for you tonight. I'll be out on a date after all." He lied—he was only going to his college flat mate's house to catch a movie, but who knows? Maybe this'll elicit a reaction from Arthur.

"A date? With whom?" Arthur laughed, though he was starting to feel a bit insecure, "Who on earth would go out with such a lanky arse like you?"

"This person apparently since they were the one who asked me." Merlin crossed his arms. "I'll have dinner prepared for you so don't go out in the city and wander around, alright?" Arthur rolled his eyes like a five year old before nodding. "I'll be leaving around three, alright?" Arthur nodded again.

"I guess I won't have a mommy figure around to tell me when and where I want to eat my dinner and when and how long I can watch telly." Arthur grinned. After spending a few weeks, he had fallen in love with the stupidest shows on Merlin's small television. Merlin rolled his eyes before clambering out of bed to fix them something to eat for breakfast. As soon as Merlin left the room, Arthur felt dread in his chest. _A date?_ He thought to himself; he didn't know Merlin moved that quickly. _What if she was hot? What if they snog or something?_ Arthur shook his head. This was none of his business and Merlin had full right to go out and date whomever he pleased…though he can't exactly say that he himself was pleased about it.

"Leaving now!" Merlin called into the house. "Bloody hell…" He cursed when he felt himself trip over a few shoes, "God, I've got to tidy this place up soon."

"Leaving already?" Arthur asked, "It's only half past three."

"Yes, and that means I am extremely late." Merlin realized before dashing out the door, "Don't wait up for me!" He called before turning down the corridor. Arthur was now alone for the next 9 hours with nothing but cabinets of food, telly and internet.

"Arthur, I'm home." Merlin mumbled quietly before hearing whimpers come out of Arthur's bedroom. "Oh Gods Arthur, please don't tell me you left your door open during a wank session." Merlin rolled his eyes, but was left intrigued. When Merlin pushed open the door, Arthur wasn't wanking like he had assumed (and hoped) he was. Instead, he was snuggled in his blankets, crying from what he assumed was another nightmare. "Oi, Arthur?" He walked over, untying the red scarf around his neck. He stripped his coat and clambered over, "Oi, come on, wakey wakey." He mumbled, hands caressing Arthur's cheeks. He was suddenly pulled down into Arthur's arms.

"Please never leave me again." Arthur said, voice filled with fear and pain like never before. "Please." He mumbled the last part, tears staining the pillow case. "Gods, it was awful. I had the same dream again." Merlin hushed him, thumbs rubbing the tears underneath Arthur's eyes away.

"Don't worry you prat. I won't leave ever you again…not that I ever did." Merlin smiled, pressing a chaste kiss on Arthur's cheek, "It's you who has to promise to never leave me again."

"I'm sorry—Gods, I'm so terrible sometimes."Arthur mumbled; whether it was to himself or to Merlin, he couldn't tell. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" Merlin hushed him, fingers rubbing slow circles on Arthur's temples,

"It's okay, love. It's okay." Merlin hushed, deciding then and there to give Arthur a small kiss on the lips, "I love you, you stupid, arrogant brat." He gasped a little when he felt Arthur's arms wrap and tighten around Merlin's waist. Within seconds, Arthur had his lips back on Merlin's, hands wandering crazily down Merlin's back and curving with his arse. The overpowering sense of the other around him was driving him nearly insane; their entangled limbs made him want to groan every time he felt the slightest friction on his crotch. "Fuck_, Arthur_." He groaned out, "Fast… we're going too fast." Merlin cried out, feeling a hand stop momentarily on his hips.

"Sorry." Arthur mumbled, gasping as he pressed another soft kiss on Merlin's lips. "I just needed to feel you—I just wanted to have the reassurance that you were real." Arthur rambled, "I'm sorry." Merlin shook his head, calming the other with gentle reassuring strokes.

"I understand, Arthur. It's fine, I promise." Arthur nodded. "I can sleep with you again tonight if you want." Arthur nodded again, arms tightening around Merlin's waist. From then on, Arthur never had a single nightmare ever again.


End file.
